Clearwater Drive in Quedgeley, where a new primary school is set to be built

What are the plans?

In order to get children out of temporary accommodation and reduce classroom sizes, the DoE wanted a two-storey building with enough classrooms for 420 pupils from Reception Year upwards.

A nursery was also part of the plans and would have catered for 42 toddlers.

Meanwhile a 56-space car park, including two disabled spaces would have provided places for the 48 teaching staff (29 full-time and 19 part-time) and visitors.

Rachel Howie, chief executive of Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust (DGAT) - who would manage the school - said at the time: “Our vision for this school is to enable human flourishing, to nurture the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils, as well as maximising the opportunities for them to succeed academically.”

But homeowners were opposed to the school from the outset.

Clearwater Church of England Primary Academy design

Why were people opposed?

Among the list of factors against this school were reasons such as loss of leisure space, increased congestion and parking, and noise from the school.

But the land was never formally designated “public open space” and was not regarded as “suitable for formal or even informal sporting activity”.

A dog-walking couple we spoke to near the site, who didn’t want to be named, said they didn’t want it to be built and were also opposed to having any development on the land.

“Why can’t it be left as it is, a field to play on? You put another block of houses here, and guess what? It’s going to be another troublesome area,” they said. Their views are shared by many.

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'It’s in the wrong place'

Gloucestershire County Councillor Mark Hawthorne (C, Quedgeley) was immediately opposed to the school.

But as the man in charge of the local authority, which in turn is in charge of education for the county’s children, he says he knew a school of this size was not appropriate.

He was told the school would accommodate only 200 pupils and started a campaign against it.

Gloucestershire County Councillor Mark Hawthorne (C, Quedgeley)

"New school places are needed but not in this area. It's in the wrong place and it's far too big," he said.

Another community leader who felt the school wasn’t in the right place was Gloucester City Councillor Andrew Lewis (C, Quedgeley Severn Vale).

He said: “It’s needed in Kingsway or Hunts Grove, not here.”

“They’re cramming it in to Clearwater Drive, I don’t get it.”

Gloucester City Councillor for Quedgeley Severn Vale, Andrew Lewis

He fears for the safety of students walking to and from the new school from their homes in Kingsway across the A38, one of the busiest roads in Gloucester.

“It’s an accident waiting to happen.,” he said prior to Friday’s decision, believing the “writing was on the wall” before the announcement.

“It’s safe from a planning perspective, it’s right. But morally...” he said. “For the officers [of the city council] to turn down a school it’s so rare, you can tell how bad it was.”

Mr Hawthorne believes three other sites would have been better for the school, but no other site for the school was suggested.

A spokesman for the Diocese said: “The county council identified Quedgeley as the area that needed an additional school. Kingsway has had a number of new schools built and currently it is not felt to be an area of need.”

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James Martin, from Aspen Drive, found it “fascinating” people were even objecting to the school.

“Of all the things to be up in arms about, the construction of a primary school is baffling,” he said.

In the meantime her child and those at the same school continue to be taught in temporary accommodation.

Another mum, Becky Baker, said: “We need to invest in our future generations not let greed win, something will be eventually be built there. Let’s make sure the people who want to look after our future makes these decisions.”

December 5, 2017

June 2018

November 27, 2018

Planning inspector hears appeal for new school with now-amended plans which mean the multi-use games are is now moved. Their decision will ultimately decide the future of Clearwater Primary School.

January 11, 2019

Planning inspector overturns council's rejection; school is allowed to be built at Clearwater Drive.

After months of waiting, the inevitable has been realised and the school was approved by Government planning inspectors.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said: “Following the positive appeal decision, we look forward to working with city council, county council and the local community to deliver this much needed school.”

A spokesman for Gloucester City Council said: “The council notes and respects the decision taken by the Inspector following the Appeal held on November 27, 2018.

“It is unfortunate that the applicant, the Department for Education, chose to appeal our original decision rather than resubmit a planning application containing the amendments subsequently agreed at the appeal.

“This could have saved a considerable amount of tax payers money.”

A spokesman for Gloucestershire County Council said “the Department for Education will be progressing with the delivery of the school building imminently with a view to getting the school open and operational in September 2020.”

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